Sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and other vehicles, such as four wheel drive (4WD) vehicles, have a relatively high ground clearance, meaning the floor is at a relatively high elevation above the ground. The increased ground clearance makes it difficult for some users to enter and exit the vehicle.
Running boards are known, and have been used to provide assistance for entering and exiting vehicles with a high ground clearance. Some retractable running board assemblies (sometimes referred to as power running board assemblies or electric running board assemblies) include a running board that is pivotally connected the vehicle by one or more linkages. The linkages are driven by an actuator, which together are configured to move the running board between a retracted position (sometimes referred to as a “stowed” position) and a deployed position. Some vehicles include a light assembly that illuminates the running board in the deployed position, which is useful when a user is entering or exiting the vehicle at night or during low-light conditions.